MEC slams North Coast land grabs
LAND grabs along KwaZuluNatal’s North Coast were a manipulation of genuine grievances and should be dealt with by the courts, says KZN Human Settlements MEC Ravi Pillay.
The MEC condemned the situation playing out at Palm Lakes Estate in Umhlali, where about 15 hectares of land have been demarcated by shack dwellers who claim it was sold to them by a local chief.
But Pillay told POST this was illegal, and he encouraged landowners to gain interdicts as a way to deal with intimidation.
“In this way, the police are obliged to act,” he said.
He confirmed that “parliamentary processes” were under way to provide a more permanent solution. He also applauded KwaDukuza Mayor Ricardo Mthembu, who bluntly slammed the land grabs saying people simply cannot invade land on the premise that it was bought by traditional leaders.
Navin Jagath, 45, who is a part-owner of a 20-hectare farm that borders Palm Lakes Estate, confirmed that a traditional leader in the area was selling off parts of their property despite him having title deeds to the land.
The father of three called on the invaders to leave peacefully.
“We have worked hard for our property. It has been ours from 1969, and I own the land with my father’s brothers.”
Jagath’s cousin, who requested anonymity as he fears being victimised, lives on the affected property and said it was shocking how quickly the invasion happened.
“It happened overnight. More than 500 people invaded the land and decided to mark plots to build their homes. I have no idea where they came from,” he said.
Minority Front leader Shameen Thakur Rajbansi called for affected landowners to contact the party for help.
“The only thing we can say is that farmers who are affected must contact us so we can hold meetings and look for a way forward. We have wide knowledge about solving these issues, but are not contacted.”
Meanwhile, the EFF’s Vusi Khoza encouraged people to occupy land, and said people should not refer to it as a land “grab”.
“They are not out there grabbing land. They are taking back their land.”
POST told Khoza about the valid title deeds, but he said these were “null and void”.
“When white people came here, they came on three ships and none of them had land. They took the land for free under apartheid. Now they want to sell stolen land to those that farmed the land? That cannot happen.”
He said the farmers cultivating the land were enjoying the “profits of crime”, and said that must not be celebrated.
Farmers at Inanda Tea Estate are in a similar predicament, and are currently in a court battle with land invaders.
The chairperson of the Umdloti Farmers’ Association, Willie Naicker, said some farmers had to obtain urgent interdicts to restrain invaders.
MEC Pillay said he recently conducted a site visit and would be sitting down with all parties next week.
“Transport and Community Safety MEC, Mxolisi Kaunda, myself and the MEC for Agriculture have scheduled a meeting with the inkosi for next week.
“On Sunday, we activated processes to prevent any further invasions. The police have been mobilised in strength to prevent these threats.”